David Mamet instructs, “Write dialogue in a rhythmic way. Human speech is rhythmic.”
Tag: the writing life
The Plot Thickens (Part 1)
Maybe. Maybe it’s boring. Getting an idea for a story is the straightforward part. Developing that idea into a satisfying plot that keeps the reader turning the pages is where the challenge of novel writing begins. Above at: https://writingcooperative.com/a-beginners-guide-to-structuring-your-novel-don-t-use-a-plot-template-58b4b1ddf848 Most stories “fit” into one of seven plots. (That said, this morning, let’s focus on 6…
The Myth of Work Life Balance
I’ve had this myth debunked over and over, yet still slip into the trap of believing I can have/do it all, or that I’m the only one not able to balance all of life’s competing demands all the time. When this happens, I pause to remind myself of a bit of wisdom I received from…
Googly-Eyes and the Writing Life
Once upon a time, I taught cartooning and storybook illustration to elementary school children. At our first class meeting, I came prepared with a variety of fruits, vegetables, and inanimate objects like a stapler, a bottle, and a cup. I lined these objects up on a raised box and invited the children to tell me…
The Author’s Plate
When an independent author takes on the task of writing a novel then adds to this challenge the goal of marketing the thing, that combined work represents a very full plate. (I would have written “a very, very full plate” except the late Mrs. Dawson, my old high school English teacher, would spin in her…